Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Scanner Capability Assessment of SNAP-Authorized Small Retailers (SCANR) Study, 11523-11526 [2017-03570]
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11523
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 36
Friday, February 24, 2017
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Scanner
Capability Assessment of SNAPAuthorized Small Retailers (SCANR)
Study
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on the
proposed collection of information for
the Scanner Capability Assessment of
SNAP-Authorized Small Retailers
(SCANR) Study. This is a NEW
information collection.
The SCANR Study will provide FNS
with an understanding of the extent to
which small retailers participating in
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) are able to meet
Section 4002 of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (2014 Farm Bill) requirement that
all authorized SNAP retailers use
scanning technologies at the point of
sale (POS) to redeem SNAP benefits.
Understanding the number of small
retailers that lack scanning systems, the
costs of adopting and maintaining
scanning systems, and the barriers small
retailers face in adopting the technology
are key to informing rulemaking for the
2014 Farm Bill requirement.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before April 25, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (a)
whether the proposed data collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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Jkt 241001
the methodology and assumptions that
were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Jenny
Laster Genser, Office of Policy Support,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food
and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA
22302. Comments may also be
submitted via fax to the attention of
Jenny Laster Genser at 703–305–2559 or
via email to jenny.genser@fns.usda.gov.
Comments will also be accepted through
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, VA 22302.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
approval. All comments will also be a
matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information
should be directed to Jenny Laster
Genser at 703–305–2559.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Scanner Capability Assessment
of SNAP-Authorized Small Retailers
(SCANR) Study.
OMB Number: 0584—NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: Not yet
determined.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Scanner Capability
Assessment of SNAP-Authorized Small
Retailers Study will provide FNS with
information to inform rulemaking for
the 2014 Farm Bill requirement that all
authorized SNAP retailers use scanning
technologies at the POS to redeem
SNAP benefits. This study will result in
a comprehensive description of the
scanner capability of small SNAPauthorized retailers that will provide
FNS with information to inform
rulemaking for the 2014 Farm Bill
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Sfmt 4703
requirement. Cost estimates from the
industry interviews and follow-up
interviews with retailers and data from
secondary sources will be used to
estimate store-level costs for adopting
scanning systems with different levels
of functionality. The cost estimates will
account for all costs associated with the
purchase, installation, and maintenance
of scanning systems. Using the storelevel costs and data from the SCANR
Survey on the number of small SNAPauthorized retailers without scanning
systems, the study will also include the
total cost estimate for all small SNAPauthorized retailers to comply with the
2014 Farm Bill requirements. Finally,
the study will include a descriptive
assessment of the technological and
economic barriers small SNAP retailers
face in adopting and using scanning
systems.
Specifically, this study will employ a
mixed-methods approach in which both
quantitative and qualitative data will be
collected, analyzed, and synthesized to
assess the economic and technological
barriers of adopting scanning
technologies by small SNAP-authorized
retailers and possible inducements. The
study design will include industry
interviews, a national survey of small
SNAP-authorized retailers, and followup interviews with a subset of survey
respondents to provide qualitative
information on the barriers and
inducements to adopting scanning
systems.
The study design comprises three data
collection components to address four
study objectives:
• Objective 1: Determine and describe
the requirements for installing and
operating electronic scanning systems at
small SNAP-authorized retailers.
• Objective 2: Provide a store-level
and industry-wide cost analysis of
installing and maintaining electronic
scanning systems at small SNAPauthorized retailers in order to be in full
compliance with the 2014 Farm Bill.
• Objective 3: Provide reliable
national estimates of the extent to which
scanning systems are in place at small
SNAP-authorized retailers.
• Objective 4: Determine barriers and
inducements to using scanning
technologies by small SNAP-authorized
retailers.
The data collection components are as
follows:
Structured interviews with nine
vendors of POS scanning systems to
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asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 36 / Friday, February 24, 2017 / Notices
provide information on the
requirements and costs for two options
of functionality for scanning systems.
The structured interviews will be used
to address Objectives 1 and 2.
FNS is interested in the requirements
and costs for two options of
functionality for scanning systems: (1)
Scanning systems that can identify
which items are eligible to be purchased
with SNAP and are integrated with the
store inventory to scan the item’s price
and (2) scanning systems that can
identify which items are eligible to be
purchased with SNAP and are
integrated with the store inventory to
scan the item’s price and are integrated
with the EBT terminal. The first option
will allow a retailer to meet the
minimum requirements as outlined in
the 2014 Farm Bill. The cost data will
be combined with the survey data and
data from secondary sources (e.g., labor
rates) to conduct a cost analysis to
estimate store-level and industry-level
costs for complying with the 2014 Farm
Bill requirements.
Nationally representative survey of
small SNAP-authorized retailers to
provide information on the number of
retailers that lack scanning systems and
the number that may not comply with
this provision and choose to leave SNAP
instead. Data will be collected through
a nationally representative survey of
small SNAP-authorized retailers to
provide information to address
Objectives 2 and 3.
The target population for the survey is
small SNAP-authorized retailers defined
as small grocery stores, medium grocery
stores, convenience stores, and specialty
stores excluding chains that have 10 or
more outlets under the same owner. The
sample design for the survey will be
sufficiently powered to provide national
and subgroup estimates by store type
and urbanicity. The survey approach
will use multiple modes to facilitate
response (hard copy or web-based) and
telephone reminders to nonrespondents
to maximize the response rate.
Follow-up interviews with a subset of
survey respondents to provide
qualitative information on the barriers
and inducements to adopting scanning
systems. Data will be collected through
follow-up interviews with a subset of
the retailers that responded to the
structured survey to address Objectives
2 and 4.
Approximately half of the retailers
selected for the interviews will be stores
that reported on the survey that they
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Jkt 241001
currently are using scanning systems
(via in-person interviews) and half will
be stores that do not use scanning
systems (via phone interviews). The
interviews will provide the opportunity
to learn about costs, benefits, and
challenges associated with
implementing and operating scanning
systems from a group of retailers that
currently use them and about costs and
other concerns of retailers that do not
use scanning systems. Interview
questions will also provide insight
regarding the level of knowledge about
scanning technology among small
retailers and the information gaps,
particularly among nonusers.
Affected Public: Business for profit.
There are a total of 1,389. The
respondent groups that were identified
include 12 POS vendors and 1,377
SNAP-authorized small retailers.
Industry Interviews
• POS vendors that supply retailers
with scanning systems. We estimate that
nine vendors will participate in the
interviews.
SCANR Survey
• SNAP-authorized small retailers:
Store owner, store manager, or regional
manager. Out of 1,377 respondents, we
estimate that 936 of the small retailers
sampled will go on to participate in the
survey.
Follow-Up Interviews
• SNAP-authorized small retailers:
Store owner, store manager, or regional
manager. Out of 936 small retailers who
participated in the SCANR survey, we
estimate that 50 of them will take part
in a follow-up interview.
Estimated Total Number of
Respondents: 1,389.
For the industry interviews, it is
estimated that 12 of the industry
interview respondents will be contacted
and, of these, 9 will complete the
interview, 3 will be non-respondents.
For the SCANR Survey, a multimode,
two-phase approach will be used. For
phase I (survey), respondents can
choose to participate by hard copy (mail
survey) or web, and for phase II
(interview), all non-respondents will be
re-contacted by phone and asked to
complete the survey (by phone or
reminded to complete the survey by
mail or web). Out of 123,000 small
retailers, a sample of 1,377 will be
selected. It is estimated that, of these,
207 will not be eligible for the survey
(e.g., no longer in operation), 585 will
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
complete phase I (50% response rate
after adjusting for eligibility), and 351
will complete phase II (60% response
rate), yielding 936 completed surveys.
Adjusting for eligibility, we are targeting
an 80% response rate (936/
(1,377¥207)).
For the follow-up interviews, a
sample of 71 respondents that
completed the SCANR Survey will be
selected for either telephone or on-site
interviews. It is estimated that 50 of the
selected respondents will take part in
the interview (70% response rate).
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1.545.
For the industry interviews with
vendors, there is one response per
respondent. For retailers, there is one
response for 886 of the respondents
(SCANR Survey only) and two
responses for 50 of the respondents who
participate in follow-up interviews.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
1,925.
For the industry interviews, this total
includes 9 completed interviews with
vendors and 3 attempted interviews. For
the SCANR Survey, this total includes
936 responses from small retailers and
441 attempted, but non-completed or
non-responses. For the follow-up
interviews, this total includes 50
completed interviews and 21 attempted
interviews.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.21.
For the telephone interviews with
vendors: Vendors will take up to 1 hour
to participate in the telephone
interviews. Vendors who choose not to
participate will spend 5 minutes (0.08
hours) reading the recruitment
materials.
For the SCANR Survey: Small
retailers will take 15 minutes (0.25
hours) to respond to the survey (via
mail, web, or phone). Small retailers
who choose not to participate will
spend 5 minutes (0.08 hours) reading
the recruitment materials.
For the follow-up interviews: Small
retailers will take 30 minutes (0.5 hours)
to respond to the in-depth telephone or
on-site interviews. Small retailers
selected for a follow-up interview who
choose not to participate will spend 5
minutes (0.08 hours) reading the
recruitment materials.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: FNS estimates the total
burden is 345.57 hours. See Table 1
below:
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
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asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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Frm 00003
Instnunent
Sample
Estimated
(Study
silt•
numbt•rof
Freq Ut'fll'J of
n·sponst•s pt•r
respondPnt
Estimated
Publk
RespondPnt
Typt'
Adivitit>s)
Fmt 4703
Business
tOr Profit
Vendors
Retailers
Sfmt 4725
Grand Total
Industry
Interviews
SCANR
Survey
Follow-up
Interviews
res pond t>nts
tut~•l annual
responses
Estimated
Sample
Estimated
total
aruuml
hour
bu.nh-n
sizt•
hotu'S per
n·sponst•
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ntunbt•rof
nonrespondents
Estimatt>d
avt•ragt•
burden
.Frequency
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tot•d
Estimated
~•n·ragt•
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total
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n·spondt·nt
:mnual
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burdt>n
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.n·sponst•
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hour
burdt•n
12
9
1
9
1.00
9
12
3
1
3
0.0835
0.2505
1377
936
1
936
0.25
234
1377
441
1
441
0.0835
36.8235
71
50
1
50
0.50
25
71
21
1
21
0.0835
1.7535
1,389
945
1.544973545
1,460
0.21009589
306.74
1,389
444
1
E:\FR\FM\24FEN1.SGM
I. Retailers participating in the follow-up inteJViews are a subset of those who complete the suJVey.
Sample size = total number actually contacted
For consistency and rounding purposes, OMB 0.0835 is 5 minutes using OMB established conversion minutes to decimals
465
38.8275
24FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 36 / Friday, February 24, 2017 / Notices
17:20 Feb 23, 2017
Table 1. Estimated Burden Hours
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 36 / Friday, February 24, 2017 / Notices
Dated: February 8, 2017.
Jessica Shahin,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–03570 Filed 2–23–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–C
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Evaluation of the
Direct Certification With Medicaid for
Free and Reduced-Price (DCM–F/RP)
Meals Demonstrations
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on
this proposed information collection.
This is a new collection for the
Evaluation of the Direct Certification
with Medicaid for Free and ReducedPrice Meals (DCM–F/RP)
Demonstrations.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before April 25, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions that
were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Conor
McGovern, Food and Nutrition Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1040,
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention
of Conor McGovern at 703–305–2576 or
via email to conor.mcgovern@
fns.usda.gov. Comments will also be
accepted through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://
www.regulations.gov, and follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
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SUMMARY:
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Jkt 241001
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1040,
Alexandria, VA 22302.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
approval. All comments will be a matter
of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection
should be directed to Conor McGovern
at 703–457–7740.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Evaluation of the Direct
Certification with Medicaid for Free and
Reduced-Price Meals (DCM–F/RP)
Demonstrations.
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: Direct certification has
improved access to free school meals
while easing the burden on families and
district staff by reducing the use of
household applications and decreasing
the number of students subject to
verification for school meal benefit
eligibility. Direct certification also
improves program integrity because it is
less error-prone than certification by
application.
Recently, FNS has sought ways to
further expand direct certification,
including experimenting with allowing
direct certification based on data from
means-tested programs that do not
confer categorical eligibility. Prior DCM
demonstrations have authorized
selected States and districts to use
income information from Medicaid files
to determine students’ eligibility based
on their household income and directly
certify those students found to be
eligible for free meals. The new DCM–
F/RP demonstration expands the use of
direct certification using income
information from Medicaid files to
include eligibility for reduced-price
meals. The evaluation of the DCM–F/RP
demonstration will investigate the
processes, challenges, and outcomes of
using Medicaid data to directly certify
students.
The study will gather data from State,
School Food Authority,1 and State
1 Because nearly all schools in the National
School Lunch Program and School Breakfast
Program are parts of entities commonly known as
school districts, we use that term in the rest of this
document instead of School Food Authority to refer
to local entities that enter into agreements with
State agencies to operate the National School Lunch
Program and the School Breakfast Program.
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Sfmt 4703
Agency vendor staff, including (1) site
visits and follow-up interviews to
document DCM–F/RP processes, (2)
administrative records on certification
for school meal benefits and
participation in the school meal
programs, and (3) cost logs and
clarification interviews on the Statelevel administrative costs of DCM–F/RP.
Data will be collected for school year
(SY) 2017–2018.
FNS is also conducting research with
the State Child Nutrition and Medicaid
agency officials, school district directors
and school district food service staff to
develop, test, and improve the
evaluation data collection instruments
and methodologies. This pre-testing
burden was approved by the Office of
Management and Budget on December
19, 2016 under OMB # 0584–0606 FNS
Generic Clearance for Pre-Testing, Pilot,
and Field Test Studies.
Affected Public: State and Local
Government—Respondent groups
identified include (1) State Child
Nutrition Agency staff who administer
the National School Lunch Program and
School Breakfast Program from 15 State
agencies, (2) State Medicaid Agency
staff from 15 State agencies, (3) staff
from 3 other State Agencies that play
key roles in the direct certification
process, and (4) school district staff
from 32 districts.
Businesses—Respondent groups
identified include 2 State Child
Nutrition agency vendors and 2
Medicaid Agency vendors that play key
roles in the direct certification process.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
The total estimated number of unique
respondents for SY 2017–2018 is 197
(193 respondents and 4 nonrespondents). This count assumes 100
percent response from State Child
Nutrition Agency staff on site visits,
follow-up telephone interviews,
administrative records requests, and
cost data collection. For State Medicaid
Agency staff, it assumes 100 percent
response on site visits and 93 percent
response on the follow-up telephone
interviews and cost data collection. For
other State Agency staff, it assumes 100
percent response on site visits and cost
data collection. For school district staff,
it assumes 100 percent response on site
visits and 91 percent response on
follow-up telephone interviews. For
State Agency vendor staff, it assumes
100 percent response on site visit
interviews. State Child Nutrition
Agency, State Medicaid Agency, other
State Agency, and district staff are
expected to participate in multiple data
collection activities, but each individual
is counted only once in the total.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 36 (Friday, February 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11523-11526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03570]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 36 / Friday, February 24, 2017 /
Notices
[[Page 11523]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Scanner Capability Assessment of SNAP-Authorized Small
Retailers (SCANR) Study
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on the proposed collection of information for the Scanner Capability
Assessment of SNAP-Authorized Small Retailers (SCANR) Study. This is a
NEW information collection.
The SCANR Study will provide FNS with an understanding of the
extent to which small retailers participating in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are able to meet Section 4002 of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) requirement that all
authorized SNAP retailers use scanning technologies at the point of
sale (POS) to redeem SNAP benefits. Understanding the number of small
retailers that lack scanning systems, the costs of adopting and
maintaining scanning systems, and the barriers small retailers face in
adopting the technology are key to informing rulemaking for the 2014
Farm Bill requirement.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 25, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed data
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information has
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Jenny Laster Genser, Office of Policy
Support, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service,
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention of Jenny Laster Genser at
703-305-2559 or via email to jenny.genser@fns.usda.gov. Comments will
also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
also be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Jenny Laster Genser at 703-305-2559.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Scanner Capability Assessment of SNAP-Authorized Small
Retailers (SCANR) Study.
OMB Number: 0584--NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: Not yet determined.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Scanner Capability Assessment of SNAP-Authorized
Small Retailers Study will provide FNS with information to inform
rulemaking for the 2014 Farm Bill requirement that all authorized SNAP
retailers use scanning technologies at the POS to redeem SNAP benefits.
This study will result in a comprehensive description of the scanner
capability of small SNAP-authorized retailers that will provide FNS
with information to inform rulemaking for the 2014 Farm Bill
requirement. Cost estimates from the industry interviews and follow-up
interviews with retailers and data from secondary sources will be used
to estimate store-level costs for adopting scanning systems with
different levels of functionality. The cost estimates will account for
all costs associated with the purchase, installation, and maintenance
of scanning systems. Using the store-level costs and data from the
SCANR Survey on the number of small SNAP-authorized retailers without
scanning systems, the study will also include the total cost estimate
for all small SNAP-authorized retailers to comply with the 2014 Farm
Bill requirements. Finally, the study will include a descriptive
assessment of the technological and economic barriers small SNAP
retailers face in adopting and using scanning systems.
Specifically, this study will employ a mixed-methods approach in
which both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected,
analyzed, and synthesized to assess the economic and technological
barriers of adopting scanning technologies by small SNAP-authorized
retailers and possible inducements. The study design will include
industry interviews, a national survey of small SNAP-authorized
retailers, and follow-up interviews with a subset of survey respondents
to provide qualitative information on the barriers and inducements to
adopting scanning systems.
The study design comprises three data collection components to
address four study objectives:
Objective 1: Determine and describe the requirements for
installing and operating electronic scanning systems at small SNAP-
authorized retailers.
Objective 2: Provide a store-level and industry-wide cost
analysis of installing and maintaining electronic scanning systems at
small SNAP-authorized retailers in order to be in full compliance with
the 2014 Farm Bill.
Objective 3: Provide reliable national estimates of the
extent to which scanning systems are in place at small SNAP-authorized
retailers.
Objective 4: Determine barriers and inducements to using
scanning technologies by small SNAP-authorized retailers.
The data collection components are as follows:
Structured interviews with nine vendors of POS scanning systems to
[[Page 11524]]
provide information on the requirements and costs for two options of
functionality for scanning systems. The structured interviews will be
used to address Objectives 1 and 2.
FNS is interested in the requirements and costs for two options of
functionality for scanning systems: (1) Scanning systems that can
identify which items are eligible to be purchased with SNAP and are
integrated with the store inventory to scan the item's price and (2)
scanning systems that can identify which items are eligible to be
purchased with SNAP and are integrated with the store inventory to scan
the item's price and are integrated with the EBT terminal. The first
option will allow a retailer to meet the minimum requirements as
outlined in the 2014 Farm Bill. The cost data will be combined with the
survey data and data from secondary sources (e.g., labor rates) to
conduct a cost analysis to estimate store-level and industry-level
costs for complying with the 2014 Farm Bill requirements.
Nationally representative survey of small SNAP-authorized retailers
to provide information on the number of retailers that lack scanning
systems and the number that may not comply with this provision and
choose to leave SNAP instead. Data will be collected through a
nationally representative survey of small SNAP-authorized retailers to
provide information to address Objectives 2 and 3.
The target population for the survey is small SNAP-authorized
retailers defined as small grocery stores, medium grocery stores,
convenience stores, and specialty stores excluding chains that have 10
or more outlets under the same owner. The sample design for the survey
will be sufficiently powered to provide national and subgroup estimates
by store type and urbanicity. The survey approach will use multiple
modes to facilitate response (hard copy or web-based) and telephone
reminders to nonrespondents to maximize the response rate.
Follow-up interviews with a subset of survey respondents to provide
qualitative information on the barriers and inducements to adopting
scanning systems. Data will be collected through follow-up interviews
with a subset of the retailers that responded to the structured survey
to address Objectives 2 and 4.
Approximately half of the retailers selected for the interviews
will be stores that reported on the survey that they currently are
using scanning systems (via in-person interviews) and half will be
stores that do not use scanning systems (via phone interviews). The
interviews will provide the opportunity to learn about costs, benefits,
and challenges associated with implementing and operating scanning
systems from a group of retailers that currently use them and about
costs and other concerns of retailers that do not use scanning systems.
Interview questions will also provide insight regarding the level of
knowledge about scanning technology among small retailers and the
information gaps, particularly among nonusers.
Affected Public: Business for profit.
There are a total of 1,389. The respondent groups that were
identified include 12 POS vendors and 1,377 SNAP-authorized small
retailers.
Industry Interviews
POS vendors that supply retailers with scanning systems.
We estimate that nine vendors will participate in the interviews.
SCANR Survey
SNAP-authorized small retailers: Store owner, store
manager, or regional manager. Out of 1,377 respondents, we estimate
that 936 of the small retailers sampled will go on to participate in
the survey.
Follow-Up Interviews
SNAP-authorized small retailers: Store owner, store
manager, or regional manager. Out of 936 small retailers who
participated in the SCANR survey, we estimate that 50 of them will take
part in a follow-up interview.
Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 1,389.
For the industry interviews, it is estimated that 12 of the
industry interview respondents will be contacted and, of these, 9 will
complete the interview, 3 will be non-respondents.
For the SCANR Survey, a multimode, two-phase approach will be used.
For phase I (survey), respondents can choose to participate by hard
copy (mail survey) or web, and for phase II (interview), all non-
respondents will be re-contacted by phone and asked to complete the
survey (by phone or reminded to complete the survey by mail or web).
Out of 123,000 small retailers, a sample of 1,377 will be selected. It
is estimated that, of these, 207 will not be eligible for the survey
(e.g., no longer in operation), 585 will complete phase I (50% response
rate after adjusting for eligibility), and 351 will complete phase II
(60% response rate), yielding 936 completed surveys. Adjusting for
eligibility, we are targeting an 80% response rate (936/(1,377-207)).
For the follow-up interviews, a sample of 71 respondents that
completed the SCANR Survey will be selected for either telephone or on-
site interviews. It is estimated that 50 of the selected respondents
will take part in the interview (70% response rate).
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.545.
For the industry interviews with vendors, there is one response per
respondent. For retailers, there is one response for 886 of the
respondents (SCANR Survey only) and two responses for 50 of the
respondents who participate in follow-up interviews.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,925.
For the industry interviews, this total includes 9 completed
interviews with vendors and 3 attempted interviews. For the SCANR
Survey, this total includes 936 responses from small retailers and 441
attempted, but non-completed or non-responses. For the follow-up
interviews, this total includes 50 completed interviews and 21
attempted interviews.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.21.
For the telephone interviews with vendors: Vendors will take up to
1 hour to participate in the telephone interviews. Vendors who choose
not to participate will spend 5 minutes (0.08 hours) reading the
recruitment materials.
For the SCANR Survey: Small retailers will take 15 minutes (0.25
hours) to respond to the survey (via mail, web, or phone). Small
retailers who choose not to participate will spend 5 minutes (0.08
hours) reading the recruitment materials.
For the follow-up interviews: Small retailers will take 30 minutes
(0.5 hours) to respond to the in-depth telephone or on-site interviews.
Small retailers selected for a follow-up interview who choose not to
participate will spend 5 minutes (0.08 hours) reading the recruitment
materials.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: FNS estimates the
total burden is 345.57 hours. See Table 1 below:
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Dated: February 8, 2017.
Jessica Shahin,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03570 Filed 2-23-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C
